


Side to Side

by ValkyriaRising



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Sugar Daddy, Cunnilingus, F/M, Hand Jobs, Modern AU, Oral Sex, Reader Is In College, Sugar Baby, Sugar Daddy AU, Sugar baby Reader, and very tired, sugar daddy!Gabriel reyes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-02-04 11:47:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18603904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ValkyriaRising/pseuds/ValkyriaRising
Summary: Gabriel Reyes is looking for a sugar baby and you just happen to step into his life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If this sounds like a vent fic, it's because it is. This is _very_ self indulgent. I'll tag as I go and include warning at the beginnings of chapters when warranted. Otherwise, enjoy <3 -Valk

You were tired. 

Tired of school, tired of homework, tired of late nights spent slaving over papers, tired of reading out of textbooks that were far too expensive for what they were actually worth, tired of the pressure from your parents to be the perfect student.

You were also tired of your job. You were a photographer for the campus newspaper and it often had you running on and off of campus at weird hours of the day between classes to complete assignments. You were passionate about photography, but none of your pictures ever came out looking as good as you wanted them to—you felt like you weren’t improving and it made you increasingly more disappointed as you flipped through each one, picking the best few to upload and add captions to before slipping out of the office, DSLR camera dangling sadly around your neck. 

You had to go home and finish a ten page paper—not the longest one you had never written, but finals were looming a few weeks away and you were drowning in assignments, trying your best to stay on top of them while also working. You often found yourself falling asleep at your desk over your laptop, your eyes glazing over as you attempted to do the reading for each of your classes, usually finding it to be drier than the Sahara in July most nights. The walk back to your apartment was relatively quiet and you dropped your stuff as soon as you stepped through the door, kicking your shoes off, feeling  something brush your leg. 

Looking down, you found your orange tabby greeting you, rubbing her face against your calf, causing you to smile. Mira—the one good thing in your life, the only thing that made you happy anymore, it seemed. She meowed, peering up at you with her green eyes as she followed you to your small kitchen, begging to be fed. It seemed your roommate hadn’t bothered to throw any food in her bowl like you had asked and you sighed, quietly apologizing to Mira as you scooped kibble out of the bag, watching in amusement as she practically headbutted your hand out of the way, her teeth crunching as she ate. 

You hadn’t eaten dinner yet and it was late, but you didn’t particularly feel hungry, mind elsewhere as you sat at your desk, pulling your laptop from your backpack, setting to work on finishing that paper and then likely having to edit a few photos for your photography class, smiling when Mira hopped onto your lap and settled there once her belly was full. The clock read 2:32 am when you finally settled into bed. 

That’s usually how your days went—starting with waking up at 8am for your 9am class and working in the afternoon, finally dragging yourself home in the evening to do homework and maybe fix dinner before falling into bed again. You had a few friends and they would invite you out on weekends, but more often than not you were far too tired or far too busy, instead opting for inviting them over to watch a movie. You appreciated their support and patience, though you often received criticisms from your parents for not being social enough, ignoring their texts asking what you were up to on a Saturday night, knowing they wouldn’t like the answer. It was rare they were ever happy with your choices. The fact that you didn’t have a significant other wasn’t helping, either. 

It was the Friday before fall exams when you got what turned out to be a far more interesting assignment than usual. Your desk editor pulled you aside in the office, asking if you could take pictures at a meeting between the chancellor of the university and the of the head of a private security company the university had contracted to replace the security systems in the dorms on campus that afternoon. The university paper was publishing a story and wanted a portrait of the two shaking hands—nothing unusual. You agreed begrudgingly—you finally had a free afternoon to yourself and wanted to relax, but it needed to be done and none of the other photographers were free.  

You were quick to run home and change into somewhat nicer clothes, throwing on a flowy blouse and business slacks alongside a small bit of makeup before swapping out the lens on your camera and running back out the door again, giving Mira’s head a scratch as you went. You caught the bus and made it to the meeting five minutes before it started, showing the security at the door your press pass and slipping inside, looking around the big conference room. 

A long glass table took up most of the space at the center, surrounded by comfortable looking plush rolling chairs. Other photographers from larger news organizations were standing near the back, waiting for the meeting to start. You approached them, greeting them quietly, all of you working out a small plan to make sure you got the photos you needed without interrupting anyone’s line of sight. The people involved with the deal were slowly filtering in, mostly men in suits that you didn’t bother sparing more than a glance. You knew your university’s chancellor, Jack Morrison, and had done some research on the head of the private security firm—they were your main focus. 

But the pictures online didn’t do Gabriel Reyes justice. 

When he entered the room, most of the photographers moved, but you paused for a moment, taken aback slightly by his height and muscular stature. He was older, but his face hardly reflected his age save the crows feet at the edges of his chocolate eyes, which were kind and welcoming. You pulled yourself out of your head, turning your camera on and playing with the settings before moving in. The timing of the meeting was perfect—set during the few golden hours before sunset where natural light made everything look crisper. 

The sunlight filtered through the large windows facing the center of campus below and you moved around the table, snapping close up pictures of both Reyes and Chancellor Morrison as they talked. Once everyone sat down, the meeting began and you tuned out most of what they were talking about, uninterested, moving to the back again to get dramatic down-the-table pictures of the two people that mattered conversing. The meeting lasted maybe an hour, with discussions of financials and implementation filling the air. 

You had sat down against the back wall beside another female photographer, your feet aching, scanning everyone at the table as they spoke. You found that Reyes was very well spoken and charismatic, cracking jokes and drawing everyone into the diplomatic conversation. You watched the way he laughed, his mouth curved up into a smile, your eyes tracing his plush lips down his strong chin to his broad shoulders that shook when he chuckled. From there your eyes fell down his arms—his muscular biceps pulling at the fabric of his expensive suit jacket, your gaze finally reaching his hand, surprised to find he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.

You were pulled out of your thoughts again when the meeting finally concluded, pushing yourself up and getting that perfect shot of Reyes and Chancellor Morrison shaking hands, smiling to yourself and hoping it turned out good enough to publish. Your editor had also asked if you could get a portrait of Reyes in case they needed one for a future story and you hoped you could catch him, slipping out of the meeting room once everyone had scattered and most of the other photographers were busy taking pictures of the chancellor—something your newspaper had plenty of already. You chased the large man down the hall, calling out to him, sliding to a stop when the two security guards at his side raised their hands at you. 

“She’s fine—let her pass,” Gabriel chuckled, turning towards you. You didn’t miss the way he looked you up and down—it was a subtle movement, but you caught it regardless, forcing the blush that threatened to rise on your cheeks down. You were sure you looked like a mess—there wasn’t much  _ to see _ . 

“I’m so sorry for bothering you Mr. Reyes,” you apologized, making a small motion with your camera. “I’m Y/N. I was just wondering if I could get a portrait of you. Waist up—in case we need it.” 

“Anything for a pretty girl like you,” he replied in earnest, his brown eyes looking down at you kindly. “Where do you need me?” 

You took a moment to look around, politely asking for him to step into the adjacent room, thankfully to find that there were large windows there, too, letting the perfect amount of light filter in. He straightened his suit jacket, looking up at the camera and watching you as you worked, getting the lens to focus before snapping a few pictures from a few different angles. You skimmed through them quickly, satisfied. 

“Thank you. So sorry for taking up so much of your time,” you apologized again, turning your camera off and letting it settle against your chest as you reached to shake his hand. It was much larger than yours, warmer and softer than you expected. The head of the firm responded with a small nod, flashing you another smile. 

“Worth it if you can make me look good—10 years younger maybe with a little bit of photo magic.” 

“You’re already very handsome, so I hardly think that’s necessary, sir,” the words came out of your mouth before you could fully process them, a blush rising to your cheeks when Reyes let out a deep laugh. 

“Oh I like you,” he huffed in response, heading to the door, but turning back towards you and giving you a small wink. “I’ll be on the lookout for them. Don’t let me down.” 

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” you replied unevenly, slightly flustered as you watched him leave. You stood for a moment in silence, staring at the door he just left through, willing the blush on your cheeks to fade before exiting the room and heading towards the newspaper office.

For the first time in a while, you were excited to upload your photos, smiling to yourself when you saw how nicely they turned out, even receiving compliments from your editor. You added captions, finding it hard to remain unbiased when describing the man who had flustered you far more easily than you were willing to admit. You waved goodbye to your coworkers as you left, wishing them a good weekend before finally heading home, intent on settling into a bath and sipping a glass of cheap wine. 

You did just that, falling asleep with Mira tucked against your chest, purring softly, the sound and feeling lulling you into the best sleep you had gotten in months. You spent the rest of the weekend relaxing, not having any obligations for once until your first exam began on Tuesday, finally finding the energy to go out with your friends on Saturday night, finding a small window of time to take and send a snarky picture of the group of you sitting around a table at your favorite bar to your mother. You woke up Sunday with a minor hangover, but you just rolled over and took some ibuprofen before falling back asleep, waking up in the early afternoon, feeling guilty for having slept so late when you likely should have been studying, but deciding you deserved it for working so hard. 

You hadn’t planned on going back to the office until after exams were over, but you got an interesting text from your desk editor Monday morning telling you there was a surprise waiting in the office for you. You grumbled under your breath as you got dressed, throwing on jeans and a sweater before heading out, loathe to leave the warmth of your bed. 

Once you arrived, you saw why she had called you in, scooting back in her rolling chair as you approached the desk, gesturing to the rather large vase of red roses that sat there. 

“You didn’t tell me you had a boyfriend,” your desk editor, Christina, giggled, looking almost dreamily at the floral arrangement. “Or tell me where I can find one that will send me flowers.” 

“I don’t. And everyone here is broke—I wouldn’t know where to find someone who could even if I tried,” you retorted your brow furrowing as you brushed leaves and petals aside, looking for a note card. You found it pinned to the side of the vase, plucking the card out and examining the print on it. 

 

_ Y/N,  _

_ Got your employer from your press pass and saw the photos you took. I have to say I’m rather impressed. Hopefully this isn’t too forward, but I have an offer for you. Call me if you’re interested.  _

_ -Gabriel Reyes _

 

Oh. 

_ Oh.  _

You stared at the card for a moment, taken aback, flipping it over to find a phone number printed on the back. It took a few seconds for your brain to process what this could possibly mean, all the while you realized Christina was talking to you. 

“Someone’s taken an interest in you, then,” she teased, poking your side and wiggling her eyebrows, making you roll your eyes. “Is it someone else who works here? Do you recognize the name?”

You hesitated, stuttering out a small ‘no’, hoping it was enough to convince her, tucking the card back into your wristlet and out of her reach when she tried to look at it. 

“You have secret admirer then.” She was giving you a mischievous look now, her eyes narrowing. 

“Yeah that’s it.” 

You were quick to grab the flowers and flee, not wanting to be questioned any further. You set them on the kitchen counter when you got home, admiring them for another moment. They couldn’t have been cheap—the vase they were in was glass and the roses appeared freshly cut and dethorned. You pulled a rose out, holding it to your nose, breathing in the naturally sweet smell and smiling slightly. They were beautiful. 

You fluffed them a bit, rearranging them slightly and giving them a bit more water before putting them at the center of the table in the small eating area next to the kitchen, taking a step back to look at them again. 

Your mind was racing—why would a man like Reyes take an interest in you? Maybe he was interested more in your photography? If that were the case he could have just emailed you or something—the roses were a few steps above that and you definitely didn’t think your photos warranted such a divine gift. The photos you took of him  _ were  _ good, but they were nothing special—just simple portraits and landscape shots. You were also just a college student—a very  _ tired  _ college student with bags under your eyes that could rival Mariana’s Trench, so you weren’t exactly serving looks, either. Maybe he just wanted to hire you to take photos for an event and this was his way of convincing you to say yes. 

Pulling the card out of your wristlet again you examined it, expecting the words on it to give you the answer and you skimmed it time and time again, your gaze scanning the phone number, adding it to your contacts, but not sending any messages. 

For now, you needed to focus on your exams, but you would see what he wanted after they were over. 

But your curiosity got the better of you and you pulled your phone out once you stepped out of your first exam, your thumb hovering over the call button as you grabbed coffee before heading back to your apartment to study a bit more. 

As it rang you thought about hanging up, but he answered before you got the chance to. 

“Reyes.” His curt greeting made you snort. 

“It’s Y/N. Sorry if I caught you at a bad time.” You could hear him basically perk up over the phone. 

“Y/N! I was starting to think you weren’t going to call.” 

“It’s exam week—I’ve been a bit preoccupied. Sorry to keep you waiting.” 

“I assumed. You looked tired—not in a bad way, but in a ‘you don’t get enough sleep and they definitely overwork you’ kind of way.” 

“That obvious, huh,” you replied sheepishly, frowning. “You could say that.” You juggled your coffee while trying to unlock your apartment door, slipping inside before Mira had a chance to slip out the door. She made a run for it on occasion and you were sure Gabriel didn’t want to listen to you yelling after her in his ear. 

“You’re a beautiful girl, regardless, and a talented photographer on top of that. I saw the photos you too—gorgeous lighting, perfect perspective—you made the meeting look almost fun.” 

“You seemed like you were having a good time, to be fair. You and Chancellor Morrison really hit it off—almost as if you two knew each other.”

“Something like that, actually. We’re old war buddies,” Reyes replied with an amused huff and you heard his chair creak as he sat back. “Enough about me, though. We spoke briefly, but tell me more about yourself. You seem light a bright young lady.” An odd question—though the flattery made you blush. Most clients didn’t want to get to know you, and maybe it was just fluff to try and get photos for free, but he didn’t seem like the type, so you decided to just be honest. 

“Not much to me, honestly—I’m a photography major studying at the art school here. My days mostly consist of going to class, going to work, and then going home to do homework until 2 am,” you replied, shrugging to yourself as you slipped your shoes off, heading into your room to settle onto your bed. “I don’t have much time for many hobbies. My friends drag me to clubs or bars on the weekends sometimes, but otherwise I spend my free time sleeping or drawing on occasion when I feel up to it.”

“Indulge me for a moment,” Reyes murmured almost hesitantly. “Your financial situation, what’s that like?” Another odd question, though you found yourself answering anyway. 

“I’m here on a partial scholarship, but I still have to work to pay off the bit that isn’t covered. I hardly get paid enough at the newspaper to cover my rent, so I usually work events and sell my photos on the side to cover everything else. I assumed that’s what this was about.” There was a small pause and you downed the rest of your coffee, setting the empty cup on your bedside table.

“Have any of your friends talked about having a sugar daddy?” That gave you pause, and your brow furrowed. 

“Other than wishing they had one, no.” 

“With that in mind, I might have a proposition for you.” 

“Are you offering…?” You couldn’t finish the sentence, stunned. 

This  _ definitely  _ wasn’t about taking photos. 

“I am. We’ve only spoken briefly, but I can tell you’re intelligent, funny, and deserve far better than the way life is treating you right now,” Reyes replied. “And I feel you’d make good company.” You were quiet for a moment, letting out the breath hadn’t realized you had been holding, your grip on your phone tight enough to turn your knuckles white. 

“...Would this extend beyond just… keeping you company,” you murmured, thumbing at the edge of the blanket on your lap. In the few minutes you had talked, Gabriel had seemed like a nice man and you weren’t entirely opposed to interacting with him again. 

“Only if you wanted it to,” Gabriel replied, his tone soft, understanding. “When is your last exam?”

“Friday, but I technically just have to drop in to give the professor the final paper she assigned. Why?”

“I’ll be in my office in LA this weekend—let me fly you out there and we can talk about it over dinner.” 

The logical voice in your head was telling you this could potentially be reckless, dangerous to go see a man you had only met once and let him fly you across the country to get dinner and discuss the possibility of you being his sugar baby, but the other slightly more irrational (and arguably more fun) voice in the back of your head was whispering ‘do it’. You had promised your parents you’d be home a few days before Christmas—you had enough time in between to visit him, so why not? You go and you get murdered—it just meant no more homework. You go and you come back with a sugar daddy—even better. It was a win-win in your head. 

“I… Sure.” You could barely hide the eagerness in your voice, your heart pounding in your chest. 

“Good. I’ll send you the travel details in a bit. See you Friday.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader goes to LA to meet Gabriel and make a life-changing decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a small thank you to everyone who left feedback on the first chapter <3 I'm glad everyone is enjoying this so far and I'll update as fast as I can! -Valk

Gabriel had spent the better part of the weekend before he had received your call thinking about you. He wasn’t entirely sure why he had been infatuated with you as soon as you had greeted him—unable to pinpoint if it was your charming smile, your soft, caring eyes or the eager way you spoke to him. You couldn’t see it, but the way the sunlight had filtered in at your back when you were taking his picture painted you as something akin to an angel, giving you a glow that had captivated him. The way you spoke to him was easy, casual without seeming too unprofessional and that’s when he had decided—he wouldn’t mind keeping you in his company as long as you didn’t mind, either. 

You had never flown first class in your entire life, enjoying the extra leg room and making small talk with the woman in the seat next to you, falling asleep halfway through the flight, grateful for the extra week after the grueling week you had had. Your exam had gone relatively smoothly and you had managed to write the rest of your paper in an excited frenzy Thursday night, motivated by the text you had gotten from Gabriel with your flight time and seat number. 

As soon as all ten pages had left your hand and rested firmly in your professor’s, you dashed back to your apartment, grabbing the small carry-on you had packed the night before, petting Mira on the head, then dashing to the airport, shooting your roommate a text that you’d be out for a few days and asking her to feed Mira—but actually feed her, to which she responded she would and you could only hope at that point. 

You awoke as the plane was landing, looking out the window with wide eyes, scanning the expanse of buildings below that was Los Angeles. You were actually  _ here  _ and the thought made your heart skip a beat as you descended, looking around curiously at the huge airport when they finally allowed everyone to exit the plane. You stepped out of the gate, looking around for a moment to get your bearings before spotting a man dressed in business casual clothing with a cowboy hat on his head holding a sign with your name on it. You approached him hesitantly, but he was surprisingly welcoming, motioning for you to follow him once he had confirmed your identity. 

“I’m Jesse McCree—Reyes’ chauffeur and part of his security detail,” he stated as you walked through the airport, smiling at your curiosity, easily seeing why Reyes had taken an interest in you. “He wanted me to let you know that he has a meetin’ this afternoon, but dinner reservations are for 6:30. He wanted to give you plenty of time to settle into your hotel room and get ready. We’ll be by to pick you up at 6.” 

“We?” You looked around as you approached the sleek black car you assumed was your ride, thanking Jesse when he opened the back door to let you slide inside. You were startled to find another man sitting in the passenger seat—a Japanese man with short black hair and brown eyes that met your gaze evenly when you sat down. You were quick to note the green dragon tattoo that peeked out from under the collar and right sleeve of the man’s shirt, impressed by the clean linework that you could see. 

“This is Genji Shimada,” Jesse continued, answering your question. “Another one of Reyes’ bodyguards.” 

“We’ve been re-assigned with your safety as our top priority, but yes,” Genji corrected Jesse, smiling at you as McCree started the car. “Nice to meet you, Y/N.” 

“Likewise.”

The car ride to your hotel was filled with Jesse and Genji bantering with each other and dropping small tidbits about the city as you drove past landmarks. You found they were surprisingly easy to talk to, though Jesse was far more talkative than Genji was—not that you minded. The cowboy was sharp as a tack and Genji, though quiet, was perceptive, noting whenever something you saw out the window caught your eye. Jesse got out to check you in once you reached the hotel, both of them following you up to your room to make sure everything was in place before leaving you with a reminder that they would be back at 6 o’clock before shutting the door. 

You looked around the room, almost afraid to touch anything. It was far more lavish than anything you had ever experienced in your life and you snooped around a bit, sliding the doors to the balcony open and stepping out. Your room had a gorgeous view of the city and you stepped inside to grab your camera from your bag, snapping a few pictures, not wanting to forget this. Once you were satisfied, you stood for a moment and leaned against the railing, letting the breeze brush past your face. It was surprisingly warm in the city considering it was December, but you weren’t going to complain, glad for a little bit of sunshine and warm air. 

Your phone vibrating pulled you out of your head a bit later and you pulled it out of your pocket, finding a message from Gabriel displayed on your lockscreen. 

_ In a meeting, but got word from McCree and Shimada that they delivered you to the hotel safely. Check out the bathroom if you want a taste of just what I could spoil you with. -GR _

That piqued your interest and you stepped back inside, setting your camera aside again before padding to the bathroom and turning the light on. You were met with a view of a surprisingly modern bathroom, though your eyes quickly fell to the basket sitting on the counter. Upon further examination, you found it was filled with bath bombs, exotic soaps, and lotions galore that you definitely couldn’t ever afford. You were quick to respond to Gabe, settling on just sending him the heart eyes emoji and a thank you. 

You sifted through the basket, smelling each of the bath bombs before settling on a lavender one, deciding you had time for a bath. You drew the water and threw the bath bomb in, stripping and settling into the water’s warm embrace. You hadn’t realized just how wound up you were with anticipation and apprehension until the water and the lavender scent began to soak into your skin and your aching muscles, relaxing you. You realized you could breathe again—your exams were over and even though you were far from home, you were sitting in an expensive hotel room relaxing in a divine bath with a delicious dinner and an attractive man on the itinerary. You couldn’t have asked for better prospects than in that moment.

An hour later the clock read 4:54 pm and your phone buzzed again—another text from Gabe. 

_ There’s another surprise in the closet. Put them on. I’m sure you’ll look divine. Can’t wait to see you. -GR  _

You sat for another few minutes, unwilling to subject your body to the cold bathroom air just yet, but eventually curiosity got the better of you and you stepped out, draining the tub and wrapping a towel around your midsection. You moved towards the closet, sliding the door open, your eyes falling on a sleek, off-the-shoulder black dress that hung there. On the floor below sat a pair of strappy red platform heels. For a moment you were daunted—you hadn’t walked in heels since graduation at the end of your senior year of high school. Not wanting to make a fool of yourself, you dried completely off and slipped your undergarments on, mentally thanking last-night you for packing a strapless bra.

Slipping the heels on, you adjusted the bow that had been sewn on to the strap before tightening it to fit the front of your foot, surprised to find they actually fit (and leaving you wondering how Gabriel guessed your shoe size correctly). You then took a few brave strides across the hotel room and back until you felt you could walk successfully enough without twisting your ankle. After, you slipped into the bathroom again to put on a bit of makeup and fix your hair before pulling the dress over your head, looking in the mirror and admiring the way it hugged your frame. Upon further inspection, you decided to throw on red lipstick to match your shoes, finally fully satisfied with your look as the clock struck six. 

There was a knock at the door and you grabbed your wristlet and the keycard into your room, opening the door to face McCree and Shimada again. They both stopped dead in their tracks, looking you up and down for a moment, making you blush. 

“You look stunnin’ darlin’,” Jesse complimented, tipping his hat. Genji gave a nod in agreement before offering you his hand, leading you towards the elevator, then to the car once you reached the bottom floor. 

The ride to the restaurant was shorter than you expected, and didn’t lead where you thought it would, either. The car veered through the city and up the coast a bit to the cliffs above what you learned from Jesse was Beverly Hills and Hollywood in the distance. Once you reached the top of the slope and pulled into a parking lot in front of the restaurant, the cowboy parked and Genji got out, opening the car door for you and letting you step out. 

“Mr. Reyes is already inside waiting,” Genji said, nodding towards the restaurant. “I’m sure he’ll be delighted to see you.”

You gave Genji and Jesse a farewell nod before turning and making your way to the entrance. The front of the restaurant was modern; a path lined with lit bowls of fire glass led to the front patio, where several elegantly dressed people were talking amongst themselves with drinks in their hands. Your heart was racing as you politely pushed past them, looking around the open-air balcony trying to spot Gabe among the delicately decorated tables. You spotted him leaning against the bar on the balcony railing overlooking the bay, drink in his hand, his face highlighted by the setting sun—he looked good, brown eyes glowing and broad shoulders relaxed. 

You approached cautiously and Reyes looked up as you got closer, his eyes scanning your frame leisurely, a small smile gracing his lips as he extended a hand, giving you a small twirl. The dwindling sunlight made you look ethereal—giving your figure the same glow as when you two had first met. It seemed to settle into your hair and on your lips as you spoke, your eyes looking up at him through thick lashes. 

“Y/N! Right on time,” he greeted you warmly, the way he was looking at you making you blush again. “I suppose Jesse and Genji would be poor escorts if you weren’t.”

“They’re delightful company,” you replied earnestly, a smile lighting up your face. “I see why you keep them around.” 

“You look stunning, by the way.” He was hardly subtle about the way he was eyeing you, though his gaze lacked any hints of lecherousness or debauchery, his eyes tracing every one of your curves appreciatively. 

“Are you complimenting me or your own choice in outfits,” you retorted playfully, crossing your arms across your chest. 

“Both—though the outfit is only as good as the person wearing it.”

“You’re flattering me,” you replied quietly, unused to being complimented. 

“I’m trying,” he quipped back, watching as your gaze moved to the view just over his shoulder, your eyes falling onto the water below, captivated by the rolling of the waves. 

“Have you ever seen the Pacific Ocean?” Reyes followed your gaze, infatuated by the innocent curiosity and amazement reflected in your eyes—something he hadn’t seen in anyone in years. 

“No. I’ve never been too far from home. Doesn’t look too terribly different from the Atlantic, though,” You replied with a huff, watching as the last sliver of the sun slipped under the horizon, the orange water fading to a muddy brownish blue. 

“We could change that,” Gabriel offered, looking down at you almost mischievously as he sipped at his drink, suppressing a smirk when you looked up at him with wide eyes. “I could take you wherever you want to go.” 

That gave you pause and you fell quiet for a moment, suddenly bashful, realizing the gravity of the decision you had laid out before you.

“We can discuss it once we sit. Do you want something to drink?” 

“Do you mind,” you asked, knowing the drinks here were likely expensive, but then again he  _ had  _ already flown you out, paid for your hotel room, and bought you clothes. 

“Of course not. Order whatever you want.” 

Gabriel made fun of you when you ordered wine and realized that it could actually taste  _ good _ , going down surprisingly smoothly, not making you grimace for once. You were seated soon after, ordering your food and munching on appetizers. You realized you hadn’t eaten much all day except for a granola bar you had wolfed down this morning before you left. The soft, ambient lighting in the restaurant calmed your nerves a bit and you found that just as you had witnessed before, Gabriel was easy to converse with. You were cutting into your entree and eating the most delicious steak you had ever had in your life when the topic of conversation fell to what you had visited for. 

“How would this… work, then,” you asked hesitantly, taking a sip from your wine glass before setting it aside, looking across the table at Reyes as he leaned leisurely back in his chair. 

“You provide me with companionship and in return, I’ll pay your bills and tuition and give you a monthly spending allowance,” he replied, twirling the whiskey in his glass idly as he looked at you, his lidded brown eyes glowing a honey-gold color in the candlelight. “I get invites to a lot of galas and charity events and usually I go alone, but after a few hours it grows stale. If I had someone at my side, I think I’d find them a bit more tolerable.” 

“That’s it? What about…” but you faltered, unable to meet his gaze, instead turning your eyes back to your mostly empty plate. 

“Look at me,” his voice was soft, but stern and you cast your eyes back up, heart fluttering in your chest, almost relieved to see he was smiling slightly. “As I said before—not unless you want to. I’ll pay for everything—I just need you to be where I ask when I ask.” 

“I can’t say that I’m the… ‘gala’ type, though,” you replied sheepishly, your brow furrowing, though you managed to hold his gaze this time. “You should have seen me walking in these heels when I first put them on. I looked like a newborn calf. I felt like I was in 7th grade again trying on my mom’s heels for the first time.” That made Reyes laugh—a beautiful, deep sound that made your legs weak even when you weren’t standing. 

“That’s alright. I’m not asking you to be perfect,” he replied gently. “I’m just asking you to _ be there _ . I’ll show you the ropes when the time comes. And we’ll have plenty of opportunities to go shopping and pick out clothes and shoes you find more suitable I promise.” You responded with a small nod. 

You were silent for a bit, taking a moment to look back out over the sea, finding that even over the soft music you could still hear the waves below, a small sea breeze filtering in and brushing past your face, flushed from the alcohol. It was a bit of a risk—you would likely have to find ways to circumvent your parents and prevent them from finding out, not even bothering to imagine how they’d react if they did find out. On the up side, it meant you could quit your job and focus a bit more on your classes, though you hoped that whatever Gabriel had planned didn’t interfere with that, either. Ultimately, you just hoped it would work—this seemed too good to be true. You turned back towards the man across from you, letting out the breath you hadn’t realized you had been holding.

“I’m in—wherever you need me.”

A smile spread over Reyes’s face and it made your heart skip a beat. 

“Good—I’m glad to hear it,” he replied sincerely, raising his glass towards you. “To my new sugar baby.” 

You raised your glass to meet his, clinking them together before downing the rest of your wine. 

_ Sugar baby _ . 

That was a title you could get used to. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is stupid and it's the millennial in me, but when I wrote "To my new sugar baby" all I could think about was the reader doing the *gasps* me? *points to self* gif of the dude from Breaking Bad and I couldn't stop cackling. Anyway, carry on! -Valk


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader goes home for Christmas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter got long and I had to split it in half. Sorry it ends so abruptly! Next chapter is already in progress <3 -Valk

The first gift Gabriel got you was a Tiffany necklace.

He had Jessie slip it into your bag before you flew back the next day with a note attached to the familiar blue box—

_An early Christmas present._

_I’m going to Aspen for New Years_ — _it’s not required, but you’re welcome to join me if you want to get away from your parents. Feel free to bring your cat with you. Otherwise, I’ll see you next year. -GR_

You didn’t notice it until you were unpacking, shooing Mira off of your clothes so you could throw them in the washing machine, hanging the dress you had worn to dinner up in your closet and putting your new heels by the door, eyeing them with a smile. Once you had transferred some of your things to your suitcase and packed extra clothes to take home, you picked the small box up, slipping the ribbon tied around it off and opening it. Inside, a silver, heart-shaped pendant with “Please return to Tiffany and Co. New York” inscribed on the front and a small key sat on a silver chain and you pulled it out gently, letting it dangle and examining it before clasping it behind your neck. You took a picture and sent it to Gabe with a plethora of hearts.

_New Years? -GR_

Right. You gave the city a quick search, being met with pictures of snowy mountain sides and expensive houses.

_I’ve never been to Aspen. Looks… cold. -Y/N_

_It’s not too bad when you have someone to cuddle with ;) -GR_

You snorted, rolling your eyes, thumb hovering over the screen. It was cheesy, but it made you smile.

_Alright you’ve convinced me. See you on New Years? -Y/N_

_Can’t wait. -GR_

With that, you set about your room to finish packing, taking the rest of the day to rest and edit a few photos you had been meaning to get to for a while—personal photos of a few of your friends walking through the fresh autumn leaves earlier that year when they had visited. You had forgotten about them, finding them again when you were sifting through old folders looking for family Christmas pictures that your mother needed for the Christmas cards this year.

The last few made you laugh as you scrolled through them, cuddling a cup of tea to your chest, smiling when you got to a picture of Lena—a short, brown haired girl with amber eyes that you had been in marching band and become best friends with in high school—with a leaf smacking her in the face, Lena’s girlfriend Emily laughing at her in the background. You had snapped the picture at just the right moment, having meant to send it to her after you had uploaded them to your laptop back in September, but forgetting once you got swamped with homework and essays. She had gone to flight school to become a pilot instead of going to college like you—you hadn’t talked to her in a few weeks, deciding to restart the conversation by sending her a screenshot of the photo.

Alternatively, the next photo was of Brigitte—your other best friend who had gone to college in a neighboring state to study engineering—diving into a pile of leaves in the center of campus, her freckled pace popping out of the pile in the next photo, a leaf sticking to her nose. It made you snort and you sent that one to her, too. She visited every few weeks, so you saw her more often than Lena, and she was normally the only reason you ever went out, but you missed her all the same. The friends you had made here just weren’t the same as the two of them.

Within a few minutes, they were both requesting to chat and you accepted their video call requests, smiling when they both appeared on your screen.

“Hi you two,” you greeted them, nearly spitting out your tea when they both yelled excited greeting at you.

“I honestly thought you died I hadn’t heard from you in so long,” Lena snorted, adjusting the camera to better enclose her face. “Finals that bad, huh?”

“It’s certainly been a wild week,” you replied with a shrug, turning your head towards Brigitte. “How was it for you?”

“I’ve been running on coffee for almost 48 hours—you know how it is,” she replied, brushing her ginger hair out of her face. “My last final is tomorrow. I’m jealous you get to go home already.”

“Are both of you coming home?”

“I’m flying in bright and early Tuesday morning,” Lena replied, giving you a thumbs up. “I’m going to lunch with Emily, but after that I’m free.”

“I’ll be back tomorrow night,” Brigitte affirmed. “Half dead and ready to crawl into bed, but alive nonetheless.”

“Tuesday night it is then—we can get drinks. I have something to te-,” but Brigitte interrupted you, leaning in closer to her screen as if that would help her see you any clearer.

“That necklace… I know I wouldn’t be able to afford it, meaning you can’t either,” Brigitte said eyeing you suspiciously—just as observant as ever. “Where’d it come from?”

“Oh don’t tell me-,” but you interrupted Lena just as she got excited, your hand flying up to idly run a finger over the pendant, a blush highlighting your cheeks. You didn’t know how to explain it to them—knowing it would probably be easier if you did it in person.

“It’s only… _kind of_ what you think. That’s why I want to see you both.”

They both affirmed your request, settling on a meeting place and time Tuesday night before the conversation drifted to the photos you had sent them among other things. Eventually, you found yourself drifting, reminding them of your plans before signing off, falling asleep with a smile on your face for the first time in a while. You didn’t know how they would take it, but they were your best friends, so you hoped they wouldn’t think any less of you.

You got up a bit earlier than usual the next morning, putting your suitcase and Mira’s carrier with her in it into the backseat before heading home. It was a bit of a drive, but you were there by mid-afternoon, unloading your things and greeting your family. You spent the next day and a half with them, helping your mother decorate the tree and wrap last minute presents, laughing as you watched Mira play among the excess wrapping paper.

You pulled your camera out, taking photos of her as she rolled around like a kitten before moving to take pictures of your mother cooking, snapping a few before she noticed and shooed you away. They may not have approved of you being a photography major, but you were damn good at it. It was also the first time in a long time that you actually enjoyed taking photos again—as if a weight had been lifted off of your chest. You could quit your job—not have to worry about bills and tuition and you could stop taking photos of things you weren’t particularly interested in and finally focus on what _you_ wanted to. You knew you had Reyes to thank, your hand falling to the necklace under your t-shirt, a small smile gracing your lips.

The next night, you met up with Lena and Brigitte, hugging them both tightly outside of the bar you three had chosen. Brigitte had been working out and you complimented her on her physique; Lena hadn’t changed much and was as chipper as ever, dragging you inside and ordering wine for the three of you once you found a table.

“Alright—spill it. We want to know,” Brigitte started, scooting her chair closer to you and leaning in. Lena did the same and you looked between them for a moment before letting out a small sigh.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell us you found someone,” Lena chastised you, looking up at you with sad brown eyes, pouting.

“It’s not like… _that_. Not quite, anyway,” you replied sheepishly, taking a deep drink from your glass, realizing more alcohol may make this easier to get through.

“I mean if they’re buying you things it has to be pretty serious, right,” Brigitte asked, tilting her head to the side curiously. “How long have you been together?”

“Four days,” you deadpanned, laughing and nearly spitting out your wine when they both went wide eyed, confusion evident on their faces. “I _may_ have found myself a sugar daddy. But like… a real one—not like a ‘still in business school’ banking executive wannabe.”

“You’re _kidding_ ,” Lena murmured, her face unreadable for a moment. Then, a smile broke out on her face she started giggling, looking at Brigitte before turning back to you. “I didn’t take you for one to be into older men, but whatever you floats your boat, love.”

“As long as he takes care of you,” Brigitte affirmed with a nod. “I will say this is the least stressed I’ve ever seen you. Have you met him—like in person?”

You nodded, sitting back in your chair and relaxing a bit, mentally scolding yourself for ever thinking they would have anything other than your best interests at heart. You quickly explained everything that had happened thus far, ordering another round of glasses for the three of you.

“Do your parents know,” Lena asked, knowing it would be just another point of contention between you and your parents.

“No—no one does except you two,” you replied with a shake of your head. “And I need it to stay that way. He’s flying me out to Colorado to spend time with him over New Years and I have no idea what I’m gonna tell my parents.”

“Tell them I invited you to a party on campus because I didn’t want to go alone,” Brigitte offered nonchalantly, sipping at her drink.

“Or tell them I asked you to take pictures at a New Years party I’m hosting,” Lena suggested. “I’ll vouch for you.”

You smiled at them both, forcing down the tears that threatened to spill over, glad you had friends like them to cover and support you.

“Either works. Thank you both.”

You spent the rest of the night talking and laughing with them, even drunkenly singing a few karaoke songs on the stage together, realizing just how much you missed being around them. You finally stumble into your house around 1 am, picking up Mira and carrying her upstairs to your bedroom, texting both Lena and Brigitte to tell them you made it home safely before curling up in bed.

Christmas came and went as it always did—you found little had changed at home, which meant your patience with your parents wore thin after spending just a week at home, becoming tired of their passive aggressive remarks regarding your school work and your social life. When you told them you wouldn’t be home for New Years because you were going to a party, they both looked you, seemingly surprised.

“Going out for once? That’s a nice change,” your mother commented. “Did you finally makes some friends other than Lena and Brigitte? And your roommate doesn’t count.”

“Brigitte goes to a good school. Maybe you’ll find someone better than that deadbeat you dated in high school,” your dad chimed in, making you bite your tongue before you said something stupid. “Oh I meant to ask—how’d your exams go?”

“Fine—as usual,” you replied quietly, trying to keep a scowl off of your face.

“We expected as much—arts classes can’t be that hard,” your mother retorted. “It’s not too late to change your major, you know.”

 _To something more useful_ you could hear her thinking. It made you roll your eyes and you didn’t bother replying with anything other than confirmation that you were going with Brigitte and that you were leaving tomorrow. Gabe had actually scheduled your flight for New Years Eve, 2 days from now, but you texted him a few minutes later, asking if he could move it because you couldn’t stand being in your house anymore.

_Done. Everything okay? -GR_

_Parents. I’ll tell you about it when I get there. Can’t wait to see you <3 -Y/N _

You relayed which story you chose to Lena and Brigitte in case your parents asked, packing everything in advance that night, leaving before they woke up the next morning, even if it meant you had to sit for an extra hour at the airport. You boarded a smaller plane this time, tucking Mira’s carrier under your seat and settling back. You found that sleep was a little more difficult to find this time—the flight was turbulent and Mira was not pleased. You wanted to pull her out and cuddle her, but you were sure that was looked down upon, so you murmured to her sweetly to comfort her until she fell asleep. Once you landed, you toddled off the plane, vaguely quesy, relieved to be met with bone-chilling air once you stepped outside.

There was more snow on the ground than you had seen in your entire life and more was slowly falling. You shuffled into the small airport to grab your bags, met at the entrance by McCree and Shimada, the cowboy tipping his hat to you.

“Lookin’ a little green around the gills there, darlin’,” Jesse laughed, taking Mira from you as Genji grabbed your bag.

“You could say that,” you replied, brow furrowed. “Evidently I don’t deal very well with turbulence. Neither does she.”

“That’s alright. I don’t either,” McCree replied, opening the back door for you to get in, reaching around to the front seat to grab something, presenting you with a heavy peacoat. “From Reyes—it’s cold and it’s only gonna get colder, so bundle up.” You nodded, taking it gratefully and slipping it on.

Much to your surprise, the drive to the house was no more than 10 minutes from the airport. You looked out the window, watching in astonishment as you passed both houses and snow drifts bigger than you had ever seen before in your life. Turning onto a small street with a cul-de-sac, Jesse pulled into the driveway of a huge, more modern house near the end. You noticed two people standing at the front door and your eyes fell on Gabe standing opposite the couple inside the house, casually conversing with them. Genji opened the door for you, warning you to mind the ice.

“We’ll bring your bags inside and let Mira out to explore if that’s okay,” Shimada informed you and you nodded, thanking them as you headed towards the front entrance. Gabe looked up from the conversation as you approached, the couple he was conversing with turning towards you. ‘Play along’ you saw him mouth at you as you reached the steps that led up to the door, brow furrowing when he chuckled at your slightly taken aback expression.

“You must be Y/N! It’s so nice to finally meet you,” the man, a taller gentleman with dark hair and a mustache, greeted you brightly, extending his hand towards you and shaking it vigorously. The woman next to him, who you presumed was his wife, extended her hand as well, her long, black hair falling over her golden eyes as she greeted you quietly with a soft smile.

“Easy Gerard—she had a long flight,” Gabriel advised, extending a hand towards you as you came up the stairs, smiling when you took it and let him pull you inside. “Y/N—this is Gerard and Amelie. They live next door.”

“Nice to meet you both,” you said with a smile, clinging close to Gabriel’s side anxiously, caught slightly off guard by having been drawn suddenly into the conversation. You felt him rest his hand gently on your side, giving it a comforting squeeze that calmed your racing heart slightly.

“Gabriel has told us a lot about you. Congratulations on your tenure,” Amelie said, giving you a small, respectful nod. “Your dissertation on the influence of Renaissance humanist literature on Reformation ideology sounds intriguing. You’ll have to tell us about it sometime.”

“Gladly. It was a pivotal time in European history—the outcome of which shaped the religious and political landscape of the rest of the western world,” you replied with some degree of certainty, realizing what Gabe had meant when he said ‘play along’ earlier—also mentally thanking yourself for paying attention during your history class that past semester.

“We’ll leave you two be for now and let you get settled,” Gerard said with a finalizing nod towards both you and Gabriel. “See you on a couple of days.”

“Don’t forget that bottle of wine,” Gabriel called after them as they descended the stairs.

“Wouldn’t dream of it!” And with that, Gerard and Amelie disappeared down the driveway and across the street. Gabriel ushered you fully inside after, unwilling to let any more cold air in.

“Wha-what was that,” you asked once he closed the door, turning towards you with a small smile on his face.

“Oh—I told them you were a newly tenured professor at my alma mater—just wanted to see how well you could play along,” Gabriel replied, smirking slightly as he approached you.

“How’d I do?”

“Very well—you handled that nicely,” he replied, resting a hand on your lower back and guiding you through the modestly decorated house. “You’re more capable than you think. You’ll do just fine at the events I take you to.”

“I hope so,” you said hesitantly, looking around as you passed down a short hallway into an open living space. A large living room sat to your left and a kitchen to your right. The back wall was made up of mostly paneless windows facing the huge, snowy mountains in the distance. You drifted over to look through the glass, admiring the view for a moment, awestruck.

You were drawn back out of your head when Reyes approached you, extending a mug of hot chocolate towards you. You took it gratefully, holding it for a moment to let it warm your hands before taking a sip, turning to watch as Gabe returned to the kitchen to grab his coffee, your eyes trailing over his form slowly. You admired the way the maroon t-shirt he wore clung tightly to his chest and arms, outlining the toned muscles that lay underneath. Your eyes fell further, down his muscular abdomen to the black skinny jeans he wore that clung to his strong thighs in all of the right places.

You had only seen him in suits up until now and something about seeing him dressed so casually made you blush, moreso when you realized he had _caught_ you staring just now. He chuckled when you looked away, unable to meet his gaze, your hand flying up to cover your flushed face. That made Gabriel laugh even harder.

“You’re alright, cariña. I’m flattered,” he replied softly, making his way over to you, running an idle hand across your shoulders and down your back, making you shiver, but you found yourself leaning into his touch. “How was your flight?”

“Long. Turbulence made me nauseous and poor Mira didn’t know what to do with herself, but I think we’re alright now,” you replied, finding yourself leaning into his side, searching for his warmth. “Sorry if me coming a day early was an inconvenience. I-I just couldn’t stand being home any longer.”

“Not an inconvenience at all—it’s always almost too quiet here, so I’m glad,” Gabriel replied, taking your jacket as you slipped it off and hanging it in a nearby closet before settling on the plush couch, motioning for you to join him. “What happened with your parents?” You sighed, settling onto the couch next to him, finding it easy to curl up against him, your thumb running idly around the lip of your mug.

“It just seems nothing I do is good enough for them, is all,” you murmured, looking up to meet Gabriel’s gentle gaze. “They said I don’t have enough friends and I don’t go out enough, so I got a job and made new friends and started going to bars with them, but then my school work was suffering because I was always going to class hungover and they yelled at me about my grades, so I started studying more meaning I couldn’t go out as often and they told me I was being too much of a shut-in and so on…”

“Endless cycle, huh?”

“Basically. Now all I want to do is sleep because I’m exhausted all the time from working and studying so much and I don’t have the time or energy to go out anymore, so we’re back to square one,” you murmured, clenching your jaw, fighting back tears. “And I know they hate the major I chose because they don’t think I’m good enough to make it and I know I’ll never make enough money to ever make them think I’m ‘successful’, so sometimes I wonder why I even try anymore.” Your voice broke as tears stained your cheeks, a sob wracking your body.

You hadn’t meant to cry, almost embarrassed, but Gabriel took it in stride, quick to pull you closer, rubbing your back and using a gentle thumb to wipe away your tears.

“You’ve been working so hard, cariña,” he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. “You can relax now—I’ll take care of what I can for you, just focus on what you need to, regardless of what your parents think.”

“I wish it was that easy,” you sniffled, leaning into his touch as he cupped your cheek, letting your eyes flutter closed.

“Give it time. You can quit your job, you don’t have to worry about your tuition, you can spend more time with your friends and still have time to study,” Reyes murmured in reply, dragging the pad of his thumb gently across your cheek. “You’re so talented and I wish your parents could see what I do.”

“I’m just so tired.”

Those words broke his heart.

“I know,” he whispered, drawing your head against his chest, threading his fingers gently through your hair. “Get some rest for now.”

Being close to him like this was strange, but somehow felt natural and after a moment you realized you didn’t want to move away, finding yourself tucking your head further against his chest, the steady sound of his heartbeat lulling you to sleep, the subsequent nap you took making up for the sleep you missed this morning.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader gets comfortable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: more Mira, less crying, oral sex 
> 
> I got halfway through this chapter and had to take a break to focus on finals, but I finally got around to finishing it. The song quoted is the Michael Bublé version of La Vie En Rose and can be found [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdfyVuYb_lo). Enjoy <3-Valk

You awoke again a few hours later to the sun setting behind the mountains, bathing the room in an orange glow as it filtered through the huge windows at your back. Reyes was dozing beside you, the tv playing softly in the background—some cooking show he had likely turned on to fill the silence. You sat up slightly, blinking wearily as your vision focused, noting a familiar orange blob close by. You smiled when you found that Mira had joined both of you, curled up against Reyes’s other side, done with her exploration of the house. It seems she had taken a liking to him—a good sign, you thought. Gabe’s eyes fluttered open when you shifted, looking down at you blearily with lidded eyes, seemingly content.

“Sorry,” you murmured, not having meant to wake him. 

He shook his head in response, cupping the back of your neck and pulling you closer to press a soft, sleepy kiss to your hair. It made your heart skip a beat and a small smile graced your lips in response. It was a feeling you hadn’t experienced in a very long time—it was almost refreshing, and was intensified even moreso when Gabriel took a moment to coo quietly at Mira and pat her head before getting up. You were loathe to lose his warmth, watching him take both of your empty mugs to the kitchen. You stretched, feeling somewhat refreshed, though you could use a shower. 

“Your room is up the stairs—second door on the right,” Gabriel called, practically reading your mind as he watched you get up, chuckling you picked up Mira and she meowed in protest. “Grilled chicken for dinner?” 

“Sounds wonderful,” you called back, heading down the hall and up the staircase to the second floor. The upstairs was decorated in a similar fashion as downstairs. You found your bedroom quickly enough, poking around curiously for a bit before heading inside, finding your suitcase and Mira’s carrier sitting on the bed. The bedroom faced the same direction as the living room and the light of the sunset was beaming in through the ceiling to floor window at the back. A dresser and a mounted tv sat on the wall to your left while the bed, a small nightstand, and the door to the bathroom sat on the rightmost wall. You dug through your suitcase, pulling out your toiletries and heading into the bathroom, the tile cold under your feet.

You found that the bathroom was just as modern as the rest of the house and you poked around the shower for a bit, surprised when the water came pouring down from the overhead shower head just above you after you turned a few knobs. You adjusted the pressure, stripping and stepping under the stream, grateful for the warm water. You took your time, using one of the body washes Gabriel had bought you before Christmas, hoping he liked the smell of lavender and roses.

Your mind drifted as you rinsed, fingers ghosting over the spots where Gabriel had pressed kisses to your skin. You hadn’t experienced much physical affection in years beyond the hugs Lena and Brigitte gave you when they visited and it made you blush, but you craved more. You realized that even in the short amount of time you had spent together, you even craved being close to him. You couldn’t say that you didn’t want to be under him, either, your head drifting back to the way his muscles flexed under his shirt as he moved. You weren’t sure if these feelings were appropriate, so you decided to keep them to yourself, but ultimately you weren’t going to complain. 

You found the softest towel you had ever felt in the cabinet under the sink, drying yourself off before wrapping your hair up and stepping back into the bedroom. Mira was sitting on the bed grooming herself and you pulled out her bowl, filling it with food and watching in amusement as she bolted over and shoved her face past your hand. You moved to dig through your bag before pulling out a slightly oversized sweater and a pair of ripped skinny jeans, slipping them on before taking your hair down and drying it a bit more. Once you were satisfied with your appearance, hooking the Tiffany necklace he had gotten you around your neck, you headed back downstairs, the smell of food hitting you on the landing and making your stomach growl. 

You found Gabriel standing outside on the patio beside the grill flipping the chicken he was cooking. You grabbed your coat from the closet and slipped on your shoes before stepping outside, smiling when he looked up at you before stepping from beneath the covered porch onto the uncovered portion of the patio, looking up at the sky and admiring the snow as it slowly danced through the air. It was piercingly cold when it landed on your face and breathing it in made you sneeze, drawing a chuckled from Gabriel as he watched you. You padded to the edge of the patio, bending down and scooping up a handful of snow, wincing as the cold seeped into your skin, but you ignored it, instead balling the snow up and turning towards Reyes.

Much to your surprise, he was way ahead of you, and a ball of snow hit you in your left shoulder, catching you off guard for a second, but you recovered before he could grab another handful of snow. You threw your snowball back in return, much faster than he expected and it hit him square in the center of his muscular chest with a solid ‘thud’, making you laugh triumphantly. 

“You have a hell of an arm Y/N,” he laughed, brushing the snow off of his T-shirt, rushing back to the grill when it caught fire for a moment. “Dinner’s almost ready.” 

“I’m surprised you’re cooking—I would have figured you had your own personal chef,” you said as you moved under the awning again, shaking snow off of your shoes and brushing the remnants of Gabe’s snowball from your shoulder. 

“I do when I travel, but I enjoy cooking, so I take advantage of a full kitchen when I have the chance,” Gabriel replied with a shrug, nodding his head towards the door. “Do me a favor—the wine cellar is down the stairs just past the kitchen. Grab a bottle—pick whichever red you want.”

“Yes sir,” you replied, more jokingly than anything else, but you noticed Reyes’s eyes flicker over to you for a moment before back to the food. You thought you had done something wrong, but you could see the faintest of smiles on his face. 

You didn’t give it much thought as you drifted back inside, discarding your coat again and walking past the island towards the door Gabriel had described. Just past it you found a small set of stairs and upon descending them, arrived in a small, circular basement. You searched clumsily for the light, finding it and turning it on, your eyes falling on more wine bottles than you had ever seen in your life. You perused the for a moment, scanning labels, vaguely familiar with some types and brands before settling on a deep red Pinot Noir—a secret favorite of yours. 

When you returned to the kitchen you found Gabriel had brought the chicken in, plating it with rosemary roasted potatoes and a small salad. You handed him the bottle and he fetched two wine glasses from the top cabinet, filling them and passing one to you. You both made an attempt to make it to the table, but found yourselves standing around the island eating and laughing, having fallen into easy conversation again. 

“Wait wait wait, so you’re telling me our  _ hardass  _ of a chancellor—Jack Morrison—used to pull pranks on his commanding officers,” you snickered, swirling your wine in your glass idly as you watched Gabriel talk. 

“Oh yes—the balls on that man. I helped him, too. My favorite one was when we were stationed in… I wanna say Iraq? A few mornings a week for a couple of months we started moving shit around—this bunk to the left an inch, this table to the right a few inches, just enough for someone to bump into them or do a double take because something seemed out of place—our commanding officer was a perfectionist, and we were moving his stuff just enough to throw him off, but not enough for him to suspect someone was responsible,” Gabriel laughed, leaning casually against the counter, the way his shirt clung to his strong upper arms distracting you for a moment. 

“God that would drive me up the wall.” 

“Oh him too—he kept walking into shit—and Jack and I bought these little duck stickers from some store. We started sticking them just out of sight—where if you walked into something and moved it, the sticker became visible on the wall or on the table under a piece of paper and we found they were  _ impossible  _ to get off. Soon every place you went there was at least one duck staring you down in each room. Jack even managed to stick one to the bottom of our CO’s coffee mug that made us giggle every time he went to take a sip—everyone loved it so much they started buying stickers and putting them everywhere, too. I think at one point someone put a unicorn sticker above my bed and I had to stare at it every night as I fell asleep.” 

The way he was smiling made your heart melt and you felt a fluttering rise up in your chest that you hadn’t felt in years. It almost scared you, but Gabriel seemed content, laughing about the good old days—times you would never know, but suspected you’d never get tired of hearing about, at least not from him. 

“Oh I’m sure that image is seared into your brain.” 

“Sometimes I still see it in my dreams—usually just staring me down from some dark corner. It was kind of cute in a menacing, sparkly, ‘I’m gonna murder you’ kind of way.” There was a small pause as you finished off your drink, smiling at him softly, slightly tipsy, the alcohol making you feel warm inside—or maybe it was just him. 

“How’d you end up here, then? Head of a private security company—I mean.” 

“I suppose I haven’t ever gotten around to explaining that, have I,” Gabriel replied almost wistfully, eyeing you from across the island. “It was a string of very… fortunate events. Just like how we met, I suppose.” 

“You think?” You couldn’t suppress the blush that had risen on your cheeks and you hoped he assumed it was the alcohol. 

“Well alright—fortunate for me. I suppose the circumstances were less favorable for you, but I’m glad all the same. I saw someone who deserves the world and I decided that I’d do my best to give it to you,” Reyes murmured gently, bowing his head almost bashfully. “Regarding my job, the short of it is I spent 20 years in the military and decided it was time to move on. I worked surveillance for the FBI for a few years before deciding to start my own security company and here we are today.” 

“All signs point to ‘you’re good at what you do’,” you teased, fighting back tears, hoping he couldn’t tell the effect his words had on you.

“If I said ‘so are you’, would you believe me?”

“I like you, so I might.” 

That made Gabe laugh and you watched as he made his way around the island towards you, setting his glass aside and offering you a hand, which you took curiously. He led you into the living room, turning the TV on and flipping it to a music channel, the slow rhythm thrumming through the open space. 

“Just while I’m thinking about it—do you know how to ballroom dance?” 

“If you count the awkward shuffle I did at senior prom.” That made Reyes huff in amusement. 

“Come on—I’ll teach you. You’ll need to know.” 

It was a bit of a process at first—with Gabriel showing you all of the steps and you practicing, letting him guide you until you were more sure of yourself, catching on eventually. You both fell into sync some time later, the compliments that left Gabe’s mouth making you blush as you stepped in time with his movements and the music. 

 

_ Hold me close and hold me fast _

_ The magic spell you cast _

_ This is La Vie En Rose _

 

You found that twirling around like that was fun, but you soon found yourself leaning into his chest almost tiredly all the same when the song changed, both of you swaying slowly to the music, the alcohol in your veins making you almost sleepy, but you soon realized that you felt almost… content. Reyes looked down at you reverently for a moment, his heart clenching when you nuzzled his chest, your eyes fluttering closed.

 

_ When you kiss me heaven sighs _

_ And though I close my eyes _

_ I see La Vie En Rose _

 

An old song —you recognized it despite it being a cover by Michael Bublé. The music seemed to carry you both and you moved together, Gabe coaxing your eyes back open as he rested his hand on your side again.

 

_ When you press me to your heart (Quand il me prend dans ses bras) _

_ I’m in a world apart (Je vois la vie en rose) _

_ A world where roses bloom _

 

_ And when you speak, angels sing from above _

_ Everyday words seem to turn into love songs _

 

_ Give your heart and soul to me _

_ And life will always be _

_ La Vie En Rose _

 

The steps came easier this time and you followed easily, feeling light on your feet, looking up at Gabe with a small smile on your face. He could see the satisfaction and pride in your eyes. You laughed when you both almost stepped into the small table in front of the couch, Gabriel catching you before you tumbled backwards, twirling your towards the kitchen before pulling you smoothly back towards his chest. 

 

_ Quand il me prend dans ses bras _

_ Il me parle tout bas _

_ Je vois la vie en rose _

 

_ Il me des mots d’amour (And I don’t know why) _

_ Des mots de tous les jours (I close my eyes) _

_ Et ça me fait quelque chose (If only you would) _

 

Your French was sketchy at best —you had put ‘conversational French’ on your resume more as a joke, but you understood the gist of what the lyrics were saying and it made your heart flutter. You became acutely aware of just how close you had drifted to Reyes’ body—noting how warm he was, the smell of his expensive cologne drifting over you. 

 

_ Give your heart and soul to me _

_ And life will always be _

_ La Vie En Rose _

 

_ Il est entré dans mon cœur _

_ Une part de bonheur _

_ Dont je connais la cause _

 

_ C’est toi pour moi, moi pour toi dans la vi _

_ Il (Elle) me l’a dit, l’a juré pour la vie _

 

Gabriel twirled you one last time, pulling you into his arms this time and tipping you backwards, causing you to gasp in surprise, but you leaned into it, trusting him not to let you fall.

 

_ Give your heart and soul to me _

_ And life will always be _

_ La Vie En Rose _

 

When he pulled you back up as the song ended, your faces were centimeters apart and your eyes flickered from his eyes down to his lips momentarily before moving to meet his gaze again. His expression was unreadable, but he seemed to get the idea.

“Can I kiss you?”

A simple question, but it made your heart leap into your throat. Not trusting you voice, you gave a small nod. 

The kiss was soft, almost hesitant and you leaned into it, silently telling Reyes that you were comfortable, inadvertently gasping when he brought a hand up to cup your face, his thumb tracing your cheekbone down to your chin. You hadn’t been kissed this gently or attentively, well,  _ ever _ and your heart fluttered. You realized you were shaking — whether from nervousness or exhaustion you didn’t know — but when you both broke from the kiss you tucked your head into his shoulder, trying to calm your racing heart. 

“Come on, baby girl.” That nearly made your heart stop and all you could do was nod, curling up against his chest when he picked you up bridal style. 

Encompassed by his strong arms, you felt safe and warm and found yourself drifting off as he carried you up the stairs, Mira following closely at his heels. Gabriel laid you softly in bed, tucking you in and kissing you gently on the forehead before running his hand from Mira’s head to the tip of her tail before slipping out of the room again, closing the door behind him. You snuggled into the sheets, falling asleep moments later with a small smile on your face—something you couldn’t say you had done in recent memory. 

You slept for a few hours, waking to find Mira sleeping behind your knees and an ache in your back from being unable to move without squishing her. When you sat up, a chill ran down your spine and you moved as quickly as you could to slip on leggings and a T-shirt—much more comfortable sleep attire than jeans, before sneaking back under the covers. You laid awake for a bit longer, shaking as the cold permeated the space under the sheets despite your body heat. Your mind drifted back to how you felt in Gabe’s arms and how warm he was every time you touched him. It made you almost jealous. 

Then, an idea slipped into your mind. At first, it seemed crazy—intrusive even, but after spending the next 10 minutes searching for an extra blanket, you gave up with a huff, slipping out of your room and padding quietly down the hall to the master bedroom at the end. The door was slightly cracked—as if left open on purpose like he was  _ expecting  _ a visitor, but your hand still hovered for a moment until you pushed the door open, quietly stepping inside. 

You found the lamp was on inside, highlighting the huge master bedroom in a warm glow. You looked around for a moment before registering the sound of the shower running. The made you blush slightly, but you crawled into Gabe’s bed anyway, curled up and facing away from the bathroom door—just in case; not that you would  _ mind  _ getting an eyeful of the body you were sure sat under his clothes. You quickly pushed the thought away, waiting when you heard the water stop and the bathroom door open. 

If he noticed you were there, he didn’t say anything until he crawled in bed beside you, making you open your eyes to look up at him blearily. He had thrown on sweatpants and nothing else and you had to quickly adjust your gaze to look at his face, not wanting to get caught staring (again). 

“Cold?” His voice was rough, but his tone was gentle, almost concerned. 

You sat up slightly, humming in the affirmative, a pointed shiver wracking your body. You heard him chuckle, squeaking in surprise when he wrapped his arms around you, dragging you to his side of the bed and under the covers before turning the lamp off, surrounding you both in darkness. You practically sighed with relief, his body much warmer than any blanket and you curled up against his bare chest, grateful. It didn’t take you long to doze off again, wrapped in Gabriel’s warm embrace this time. 

***

You found it was still snowing when you woke up the next morning, grateful not to receive a rather annoying dose of sunshine to the face, instead finding that you were rather warm—a far cry from how you felt last night. You pushed away from the warm body next to you, your eyes fluttering open to find Reyes sitting up in bed next to you on his phone, looking down at you with some amusement, a small smile on his lips. It took you a moment to register what was happening

Right—you had gotten cold and found your way into Reyes’ bed. You assumed that if he had minded, he would have kicked you out by now, so you stayed put for a bit, letting your gaze wander lazily. You scanned his shirtless form, admiring the way the dim light filtering into the room softly illuminated his features—from his sharp cheekbones to his strong neck and the toned muscles of his chest and abdomen that you had only seen covered by some form of clothing. You noted the scars that decorated his tan skin, wanting to ask about them, but knowing now was hardly the time. 

You had to resist the urge to run your hand just over his body, wanting to feel him flex under your touch and feel the raw power those muscles held. It made you unwittingly squeeze your thighs together and you finally tore your gaze away, pushing yourself into a sitting position and stretching. 

“Breakfast?” His voice was rough and the sound made you shiver. 

“Yes please.” Your voice sounded smaller than intended, but Reyes just smiled, leaning forward and coaxing you into another kiss, making your heart flutter in your chest again like it had last night. 

You actually  _ missed  _ him when he moved away, watching as he disappeared out of the room and down the hall. You laid down for a bit longer, enjoying the fact that you didn’t have anywhere to  _ be  _ and didn’t have to rush out of bed like you usually did most mornings. Instead, you opted to watch the snow fall, nearly dozing off again until the smell of pancakes pulled you back to full consciousness again. 

You drifted out of bed, scratching Mira’s chin before making your way down to the kitchen leisurely, leaning against the counter and watching quietly as Gabe flipped the pancakes in the pan, seemingly stuck in his own head, his expression unreadable. You quietly padded up behind him, hesitating for a moment before wrapping your arms around his warm midsection, resting your cheek against his back. 

Gabriel tensed for a moment before relaxing, glancing back at you and giving your hand a comforting squeeze before returning to making breakfast. You closed your eyes, listening to him breathe and listening to the sound of his heart beating. You didn’t realize you had started to trace the hard lines of his abs and the scars that criss-crossed his skin, your fingers falling to trace the band of his sweatpants. 

“C-cariña,” Reyes murmured, his voice tight—a warning, you realized and you looked up to see his eyes had fallen closed and his brow was furrowed, his breathing a bit shaky. It took you a moment to register the problem and heat rushed to your face when it hit you. You hesitated, unable to ignore the heat that had been simmering in your core since last night anymore, finally slipping your thumb under the band of sweatpants. Gabriel was quick to grab your wrist. 

“Y-Y/N you don’t have to,” he murmured, his grip hesitant, not yet pulling your hand away, but right enough to keep you from moving it further. “I told you it wasn’t necessary.” 

“And if I want to,” you asked quietly, nuzzling the space between his shoulder blades, pressing a featherlight kiss to the skin there. You felt a shiver run down his spine and he released your hand, moving to turn the burner off. 

You slid your hand further, tracing patterns across the skin below his navel with your fingertips, finding he was clean shaven. You wrapped your hand around the base of his cock, a small gasp falling from your lips when you realized just how thick he was—you could barely get your entire hand around him. The hand you had pressed against his abdomen clenched instinctively, your nails digging into the muscles there and he groaned, his cock twitching in your hand. You slid your hand up his length, your thumb stroking across his slit when you got to the head, spreading the precum that had already accumulated there. 

You wondered if he could feel you shaking; you hadn’t touched anyone like this in a long time—far too preoccupied with everything else in your life to focus on any sexual endeavor beyond masturbating in the shower when you got the chance. You pace was a bit unsteady at first until you finally fell into a smooth rhythm. 

“That’s it, baby girl,” Gabriel murmured, lightly thrusting into your hand, more precum leaking into your palm. His hands gripped the edges of the counter, his breathing becoming more erratic when you sped up your hand movements, tightening your grip. 

You smirked against his skin when a low moan rumbled up from broad chest—a pleasant sound that rippled through you straight to your core, causing you to squeeze your thighs together. You dragged your hand up and down his length, focusing your attention on the tip when he quivered under you, pushing desperately into your hand. 

“Fuck.”

Gabriel’s cock twitched in your hand and you glanced up as his chocolate eyes fluttered closed, another groan falling from his beautifully parted lips and he moved one hand to grip your wrist, letting out an uneven breath as he stopped your movements. You dug your nails teasingly into his abs again and he turned towards you, eyeing you mischievously, his breath catching in his throat when you fell to your knees. 

“Y/N—”

“Please,” you whispered, pulling his leaking cock out of his pants, looking up at him imploringly. “I want to.” 

He hesitated for a moment more, the lust in his eyes apparent, but you could see the uncertainty as well and you pressed reassuring kisses to the base of his cock, your eyes peeking up at him through thick lashes. You were certainly a sight on your knees in front of him and he tangled his fingers in your hair, relenting. 

You resumed your earlier pace, his precum making your hand motions significantly smoother, his grip in your hair tightening when you easily dragged him to the edge again. Opening your mouth, you stuck out your tongue and let the head of his cock rest on it, stroking his shaft with a firm grip. He choked out a warning and his head fell back, thick ropes of cum painting your mouth. 

You swallowed it all the best you could—having not done it in a while—the salty taste coating your tongue. Your pussy quivered at the sight of his ecstasy, smirking up at him and licking your lips when he pulled out of your mouth and tucked himself back into his pants, looking down at you with lidded, satisfied eyes. 

“Such a good girl,” he purred, offering you a hand, pulling you up before slipping his hands under your thighs and lifting you up to sit on the counter. The marble was cold under you and you shivered, your breath catching in your throat when Reyes went to pull your leggings off, looking up at you playfully. If you could paint the picture before you, you’d surely give him devil horns, the smirk on his face salacious. 

He pushed your legs open and ran his hands up the inside of your legs, toying with the edge of your panties. The wet spot on your underwear gave you away and you blushed as he looked at you, unable to meet his gaze. 

“Look at me,” Reyes commanded gently, squeezing your thigh reassuringly. You turned back towards him, your eyes lidded and your cheeks flushed, your breathing unsteady as he pressed kisses to the soft skin of your inner thighs, biting at the flesh and marking you. 

“O-oh f-fuck,” you whimpered, the feeling of his teeth on your skin causing electricity to light up your nerves. 

You inadvertently pushed your core towards his face, shivered when he peeled back your panties and exposed your soaking pussy. Reyes gently traces his fingers through your folds, a moan falling from your lips when he traced your slit. 

“Do you want my mouth or my fingers,” he asked, looking up at you as he traced a subtle finger across your aching clit. Your hips jerked and another whimper fell from your lips as he teased you. 

“A-am I allowed to say b-both,” you breathed, smiling when he chuckled at your response, nodding and dragging his tongue from your slit up to your clit, twirling the muscle around the bundle of nerves before teasing at your entrance with the tip of his finger. 

Gabriel was quick to suckle on your aching clit, pure pleasure overtaking your body and your back arching. You spread your legs further, gasping when he pressed a finger and then two inside you, making a ‘come here’ motion and pressing into  _ that  _ spot inside you. 

“O-oh  _ fuck  _ Gabe,” you whined, your hands flying to bury their way into Reyes’ hair, pushing his head closer to you as he ate you out. He grunted in approval, loving the way your were spread out on his counter, your wanton moans echoing around the kitchen, the pancakes long forgotten. 

He pushed your legs further apart, delving into your dripping pussy further and flattening his tongue against your clit, working his fingers deeper. You felt the heat coil tighter inside you, shaky moans falling from your lips as you ground your hips against his face. 

“Y-yes fuck right t-there,” you practically cried, your pussy quivering around his fingers as he teased your clit. The wet sounds that were coming from between your legs would have made you blush at any other time, but you were far too distracted by how he was making you feel to care. 

“Cum for me,” Gabriel purred, redoubling his efforts, smirking against your pussy as your orgasm ripped through you, your pussy tightening around his fingers as he dutifully lapped at your pulsing clit. You dug your fingers into his head, your thighs clamping around his head as you cried out his name, pure pleasure pulsing through your entire body. 

You’d never had an orgasm that intense and you had to sit for a second with your eyes closed, appreciating Reyes’ skill and how it made you feel, your chest heaving as you came down from your high. When you opened your eyes you met Gabriel’s gaze, noting the lower half of his face was coated in your slick.

“ _ Holy fuck _ ,” you whispered, humming in delight when he leaned forward to kiss you, tasting yourself on his lips. 

“Eat up—the caterers will be here soon,” Reyes hummed once you broke apart, pressing a kiss to your forehead as you nodded obediently. 

The pancakes, despite being cold, were still delicious and you savored them—you could get used to Gabe’s fantastic cooking and you watched as he moved about the kitchen and the living room, organizing out of place items and making sure everything was perfect. Sure enough, the caterers arrived a few hours later and you watched as they overtook his kitchen, prompting you to move out of the way. 

“Party starts at six—there should be a few dresses for you to choose from in the closet of your room,” Gabriel called to you and you nodded, getting comfortable on the couch with Mira for a bit while Gabriel worked in the office, finally deciding to head upstairs after tiring of watching the snow fall outside. 

You picked Mira up and threw her over your shoulder, padding to your room and throwing on some music as you danced around with her in your arms, your legs a bit shaky from earlier. It made a feeling of satisfaction rise up in your chest and you couldn’t help, but smirk to yourself as you all but shakily stepped into the closet, examining the dresses Gabriel had chosen for you. 

You skipped over the green and blue ones, pulling the long crimson evening gown off of the rack and examining it further before trying it on. The sleeveless chiffon dress hung from your shoulders delicately, the deep ‘v’ of the front highlighting your chest until pinching around your waist, accentuating your curves before flowing gracefully off of your hips. 

You discovered with some delight that there was a slit in the side of the fabric, allowing you to extend a leg through the folds, making you bite your lower lip. It made you feel sexy—once you threw makeup on and put on the black Louboutin heels Gabe had also provided, you were a complete knockout, giving yourself the onceover in the mirror before heading into the hall, closing the door before Mira could escape. 

The clock struck 6 as you headed down the stairs, meeting Gabriel on the landing as the doorbell rang. He was in an expensive, white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows that clung deliciously to the muscles you had traced earlier paired with form fitting trousers. You could start drooling at the sight, but you met him in the middle for a small kiss. 

“Gorgeous,” he breathed, his eyes leisurely taking you in and you couldn’t help, but blush—as if he hadn’t just had his face buried between your thighs hours ago. He took your hand, giving you a small twirl before helping you down the rest of the stairs, your arm under his. 

“Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”


End file.
